5/12/2009 @ 4:18PM

Best Cars For A Road Trip

Here’s some great news for summer trippers with wanderlust in their veins: It’s going to cost you a lot less to take the road less traveled than it did last year.

At $2.24 a gallon nationwide, gas prices this spring have practically sent Americans an engraved invitation to hit the road. Last year at this time, prices were $1.54 higher, and set to reach $4 in some areas by summer’s end.

Better yet, according to statistics from the Energy Information Administration, regular gasoline retail prices will average a measly $2.23 per gallon this summer (down $1.60 from last summer) and run around $2.17 per gallon for the remainder of 2009 nationwide.

Whether you’re a family of five or a couple of empty-nesters, we can recommend cars that will cater to your every whim as they eat up the road.

The convertible on our list, the $40,750 Audi A4 Cabriolet, is perfect for a pair setting off on a three-day adventure. For travelers with a dog, a wagon like Audi’s A3 Sportback might do the trick. It has 19.52 cubic feet of cargo room, an optional storage package and plenty of legroom up front for Fido’s parents. For a long haul, consider the $28,640 Toyota 4Runner. It has 76.4 total cubic inches of leg room and decent handling scores but maintains a 21-mile-per-gallon average on the highway, which helps separate it from the rest of the gas-guzzling SUV pack.

Behind the Numbers

To make our list of the best cars for a road trip, we evaluated 2009 models based on their highway fuel efficiency, handling ratings from Consumer Reports, cargo space, front and rear leg space, and the availability of extras like navigation systems, dual climate zones, and sun shades.

If you liked this, read:

We’ve divided our list into several categories, because road trips–and road trippers–vary widely. The 30-something couple has vastly different priorities than a car full of college kids on Spring Break. And a family vacation is a whole different dynamic altogether.

“A family is not going to want to go without their in-car video system for the younger kids, or if it’s teenagers, their iPods or their iPhones and the other systems that they use to keep in touch with their friends,” says Laurie Borman, the editorial director for road atlas publisher Rand McNally.

The $38,200 Lexus RX350, our winner in the crossover segment, offers extras like dual-zone climate control, a sliding front center console with a storage bin, front and rear cup-holders, and satellite radio/Bluetooth capability. It’s the perfect vehicle for families that prefer not to let overreaching entertainment systems interfere with the shared experience of a road trip.

Jamie Jensen, the author of Road Trip USA and father of 10-year-old twin boys, belongs to one such family. He says he tries to limit the time his sons spend in their “own little universe.”

“I don’t really approve of the backseat DVD players and all that stuff that people sell as ‘This is great for family travel,’” Jensen says. “It’s just so you can all pretend you’re not there. It’s very sad. But I don’t want to moralize and say we should all sing songs: ‘She’ll be coming ’round the mountain!’ I know that gets old after awhile.”

Make It Count

If you can’t decide whether the kids need DVD entertainment, or if you’re not sure whether the $16,290 Toyota Matrix (our winner for the hatchback category) is big enough to withstand a week-long trip with friends, try renting these models first. It takes several days of living with a vehicle in different situations to get a feel for its strengths and weaknesses, Jensen says.

It also pays to venture off the beaten path (read: Interstate) with the cars. That’s where all the quirky diners, quaint creameries and quiet farms lie hidden. The best thing to remember, no matter which path you choose? The journey is sometimes better than the destination.

“The car is amazing for the number of places it can take you through on the way,” Jensen says. “You’ve got all this freedom, and I think people who are used to commuting, they kind of forget the great pleasure of the Sunday drive, which to me is more what the road trip mode is all about.”